Starter for internal-combustion engines



J n- 7, 1931. H. J. LEIGHTON 1,799,274

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 8, 1928Z'Sheets-Sheet l IVQENTOR.

A TTORNE Y5 Jan. 27, 1931. LEIGHTQN 1,790,274

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 8, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII/III!!! I NZ/ENTOR. z BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 27;1931 HERBERT J. LEIGH'ION, or srn'acnsn; NEW YORK, Assienos oBrown-urticaria I COMPANY, orsYnAcUsE, nnwronx, A CORPORATION or NEWYORK 's'rAR'rERroR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION liner nns" This invention has forits object a starter for internal combustion engineswhich isparticularly simple and compact in construction and highly efiicientanddurable in use and in which the starter pinion is automaticallyshifted out of mesh with the engine gear when the engine is started. e 7

It also has for its object, a starter in which .the starting pinionmoves laterally at an angle to its axis into andout of mesh with theengine gear instead of axially and a relative 2o tures and in thecombinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this inventiomreferen'ce is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts '25 inall the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine starter embodying myinvention, the contiguous portion of the electric motor being alsoshown,,the parts being shown intheir position assumed when the engine isbeing started.

Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Figure 1, parts being omitted, theparts being shown .as in their normal position.

1 Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of parts seen in Figure 2 showing thelatch in latching position. v

Figure l is a plan view ures '1' and 2. g

"Figure 5 is a sectional view on line '5,5', Figure 1; the contiguousportion of the engine gear being shown.

Figure 6' is a longitudinal sectional View through the starter. V

This engine starter comprises generally a pinion normally out of meshwiththe engine gear and shiftable into and'outofmesh therewith andtending to shift automatically into mesh with the engine gear, thepinion and the gear being so relatively arranged that of partsseen in Fige the. driving aotionof the gear tends to shift 19'28. "Serial283.9245

the pinion out of meshtherewith, an 'operating member holding the pinioninj its normal position and shiftable into a position topermit thepinion to shift into mesh withthe engine gear and meansmovable into aposition to hold the pinion out of mesh with the 7 gear when it has beenmoved out of mesh by thedriving actionof the: engine gear and theoperating member isfin'its operated position, saidmeans beingcontrolledin its-oper' V ation' by the operating member and arranged to"be reset by the operating member when saidmember is returnedto itsnormal position. I j

The pinion is arranged to move in'a directionfat ananglegtoits axisintoand out of mesh with the engine gear.

The startercomprises generally, a frame 1 designed to be mounted uponthe casing or frame 2 of an electric motor, a shaft 3 suit ablyjournalled in the frame and designed to be coupledto themotor shaft 4when the frame 1 is mountedon the motor frame 2. As here'illustrated,the abutting ends of the shafts 3, t are formed with-a complementalinterfitting. radially eXtendin g. tongue 5 and groove 6. 4 a

The starter further includes a gear 7 mounted on the shaft 3, a pinion 8meshing with the gear 7 and movable planetarily about the gear '2' intoand out of mesh with the engine gear 9, Figure 5, and being normally outof engagement therewith. I V I v v in the illustrated embodiment ofmyinvention, thepinion 8 is supported by a carrier 10 mountedto swingabout the azris of the gear 7,.the carrier being shown as bifurcated andhaving hubs mounted upon b-ushingsll',

Figure 6, which bushings are arranged in the.

bearings for the shaft 3, the bifurcations being interposed between theside faces of the starter gear 7 and'the ends of the bearings for theshaft 3. These bifurcations have laterally extending arms whichar'econnected by a yoke piece 12. The arms'which'carry the yoke piece 12are-arranged at a right angle to the main body of the carrierwhi'chsupports the axle 13 of the pinion 8. The gear 7 and pinion 8 arethere 'shown'as arranged with. their axes in a Platte tangent to thepitch circle of the engine gear 9 when the pinion is in mesh with theengine gear so that the starter gear 7 meshes withthe pinion 8 in 1alined radiiof the gear 7 andpinion 8 which are arranged at anobliquelangle to allned radn of the pinion Sand-engine gear 9 meetingwhere the pinion 7 and gear 9 mesh.

Thus, while the starter gear 7 is driving in the direct on of rotationas indicated by the arrow A, Figuredit tends'tohold thepinion 8 111 meshwith the engine gear 9 due to the" planetary action of the pinion 8about the gear 7, but when the engine is started and the engine gear 9driving, the driving actio'n tends to shift or crowd the pinion 8 out ofmesh therewith. vThis I is so whether the -en gine actually starts or'isacting under anyw'h'eel momentum in case it does not start. Thus,thepinion'move s out of mesh with the 7 engine gear regardless of whetheror not the operator holds the operating member de-' to normally hold thepinion 8 out of mesh with the enginegear 9 and coaeting with'the carrier10 for this purpose. The member 16 is shown as a slide rod suitablyguided for this purpose. The member 16'is-shown as'a slide rod suitablyguided in the frame and held in its normal holding position by a spring17. It is actuated in-any suitable ma ner against the holding andreturning action of the s-pring by an operator-operated member, lever orpush button not showm throug'h a lever 18 pivoted at 19 to the starterframe 1 and connected at'20 to the operating'me'mber 16. The operatingmember also carries a switch contact 21 v'v'hichmoves into engage-I'nent with the contact 22 on the n'iotorto close the electric circuitthrough the motor when said member '16 is operated. This feature formsnopart ofthsinvention and itis merelyneccssary tobear in mind "that whenthe operating Inem'ber'16 is'actuat'ed against its spring '17 to permitthe pinion 8 to move into mesh withthe engine 'gear'9, the switchcontact 21 comes 'iircontaet with the motor contact-722' to close thecircuit through the motel" 'sothat the motorwill operate to dr'ive thearmature'shaft 4 and the starter shaft'3.

The eperatinginember 16 normally 'c'oao'ts v with a laterall extendingarm 22a on the carrier 10, this arm projecting from the yoke pie-e912.The operating membei -inthis'emhodiment extending under said arm to"pre- Vent'the actioirof-thecarrier by the spring 14 rt-nature secretinmemberisprevided with a slot or recess 2 L arranged to come intoalinement withthe arm 23 to permit the arm 23 to move or drop thereintounder the action of the spring 14: or by the planetary efiect be- "ingeffect ofthe engine gear 9 moves the pinion8 out ofmesh therewith andhence, rocks the arm 23 upwardly out ofthe recess 24 and if fltheoperator still -holds the member 16 in itsoperated position, the pinion8 idles.

In order to hold the pinion 8 out ofmesh with the engine gear 9after itis so thrown outof mesh therewith and while theoperating member or slide16 returns to its'norma'l position, means as a latch is provided forholdinf the pinion 8 out of mesh with the engine gear 9 until theoperator releases the operating member 16 so that it can return underits spring 17 'to its normal position. This holding means alsocoa'ctswith the arm 23 and ls here-shown-as'a sprlng pressed latch 25pivoted at 26'between itsflends to the operating member 16 and "llavll'l' g a spring 27 connected thereto tending to move it lIltO OP-'era'tive position. The -.engaging end '28 of the latchpartly closes therecess 24 which is of greater widththan the arm 23 and approximatelytwice the width thereofan'd said engaging end also extends above theholding surface of the operating member 16 so as to encounter during theshifting of thememb'er .16, a side face'of the arm 23 at-an angle to theside engaging the member16. a w x As here shown, the operatingmembersprovided with a laterally extending part 0121 shoulder 29 arranged toengage a suitable.

notch 30 in the latch. The latch is arrange'd at one side of the member16 and laps one side thereof. It ismounted-on'the outside of the frame 1which frame is formed with a hole '31 through which the arm 23 extends.The hole 31 is usually provided in a suitable cover plate 32 detachablysecuredto the frame as by cap screws33 and thelatch is located on theoutside of the-plate, its pivot 26 extending through a slot 26 in theplate.

In operation, the parts-are in their'position shown in Figure 1 andduring the shifting of the operating member 16to the left, the end 28 ofthe latch 25 is partly closingthe recess 24 and engages the side face ofthe arm 23 during such movement of theyoperating member and is held fromfurther move- 'ment under the influence of its spring 27 as theoperating memberlcontinues'to move t0- ward its operated position or. tothe left. When-the operating member has moved to its "extreme operatedposition, the recess 24 is brought into full aline'ment with the arm'23and which dr'ops oris moved under'the ina fluence of the springlfi orthe-planetary ac- 7 tion, into the recess 24. Atfthis time, the

pinion 8 is in mesh with the engine gear 9 and the switch contacts21,-22'are engaged so that the motor is operating to turn the startergear 7 and actuate the pinion 8 and engine gear 9. I 7 When the engineis'started, the driving action ofJthe engine gear 9 shifts or crowds thepinion 8 planetarily relatively to .the

gear 7 out of mesh "with the engine gear and hence swings the carrier toits normal position or slightly beyond its normal position,

thereby carryingthe arm 23 out of the recess 24:, and far enough out ofthe recess to clear the end28 of the latch 25. When it does so clear theend 28 of the latch 25, the'latch spring 27 reacts topull the end 28under the arm 23 thus holdingthe pinion outof mesh '20 with the enginegear 9.

'lVhenthe operator releases the operating member 16, the "spring 17returns said memher to its normal position as seen in Figure 2 and theshoulder or part 29 thereof resets the latch in its normal position.This part 29 owing to the shape of the notch 30 also prevents'overthrow,ofthe latch 25 as seen in Figure 2,, or in other words, holds the latchinsuch position that its end'28 must engage the side face of the arm 23.If the operator 1 releases the member "16 before the engine is started,then the fly wheel momentum of the engine gear 9 will momentarily causea driving effect which willshift the arm 23 out of the recess 24 andpermit the latch 25 to enter 'under' saidarm and hold it in its normalposition until the operating member 16 is free to return to its normalposition;

Owing to the lateral or planetary movement of the starting pinion 8 intomesh with the engine gear, breaking off of gear teeth is avoided as ifthe gears do not come directly into mesh, a very small initial turningmovement of the pinion 8 alines the teeth thereof withthe spaces betweenthe teeth of the engine gear, and owing to the relative arrangement ofthe starting pinion and engine gear, it is thrown out of mesh with the]engine gear as soon as the engine starts and :the operator can not holdthe pinion in mesh with the engine gear after the engine starts. 7Owing'to the latch 25, the pinion is locked able to carry the pinionintov mesh with the mesh with the gear.

gear, andan-operating member comprising a "slide, the carrier havingaportion for engaging the slidewhereby theslide holds the carrie'r in itsnormal position,.the slide having 7 a slot movable into alinementwithsaid portion of the carrier when the operating mem-V her is movedto itsoperative position: thereby permitting the carrier to shift the pinioninto 2. An engine starter comprising a gear associated with the engine,astarter pinion shiftable into and out of mesh withsaid gear andnormally out of mesh therewith and arranged relatively to the gear to beshifted out of mesh therewithby the driving action of the engine gear.faster than the pinion,; a

movablecarrier for the pinion movable automaticallyto carry the p-inioninto mesh with I the gear, and an operating membernormally coacting withthe carrier to hold it in its normal position and provided witha passagemovable into alinement ;with the coacting l portion of the carrier whensaid member is shifted and'th'ereby permitting the carrier to move thepinion into'mesh with the gear, a

latch normallyheld out of operative -posi- Y tion by the operatingmember and by the 7 carrier when the pinion is in mesh with the gear andhav ng means for moving-1t into position to coact with the carrier andhold the same in ts normal positionjwhenthe plnlonhas been movedito itsnormalpos tion by the driving action of the engine gear and theoperating member is in its operated position.

. 3. An engine starter comprising a gear as sociated with theengine, astarter pinion shiftable into and out of mesh with said gear and beingnormally out of mesh therewith and arranged relatively to the gear to beshifted out of mesh therewith by thedriving action of. the engine gearfaster than the pinion, a movable carrier for thepinion movableautomatically to carry the pinion into mesh with the gear, and anoperating member normally 'coacting with the carrier to hold it in itsnormal position and provided with a passage movable into alinement with:

the coacting portion of the carrier when said member is shiftedand'thereby permitting the carrier to move the pinion-into mesh with thegear, alatch normally held out of operative positionby the operatingmember and by the carrier when the pinion is in mesh with the gear andmeans for moving the latch into.

position to coact with the carrier and hold the same in its positionassumed when the pinion has been returned to its normal posi tion by thedrivingaction ofthe engine gear andthe operating member is held in itsoperated position, the operating member hav ing means to reset thelatch'when said member is moved to its normal position.

4 An engine starter comprising a gear associated with theengine, astarter pinion shiftable intoiand outof mesh with said gear and normallyout of mesh therewith and bemg arranged relatively to the'g'ear to beshifted out of mesh therewith by the driving action oi the engineigearfaster thanthe pinion, a carrier being "movable automatically tocarry'the pinion into mesh with-the gear, the carrier having an armprojecting therefrom, an operating memherhaving a portion normallyarranged to coact with one side of j'said arm and hold the carrier'inits normal P'OSltlOIl and a recess arranged-to receive said arm andpermit the shifting movementeo'f the carrier when said member is shiftedto its operated vposition, a spring actuated latch arranged to engagesaid arm and hold the carrier in its normal-position and being normallyout of engagement with the arm, the latch being also arranged to engageanother side of'said arm at an angle "to the former side during themovement of the latch by its spring when said member is being operated,

and held by the arm from moving into latch- .ing position, andthe'latch-being movable into latching position by the movement oftheiarni'out of the recess by the driving action olfthe gear on thepinion.

5'. An engine starter comprising a gear associated, with the engin astarter pinion shiftable into and outer" mesh with said gear and beingnormally out of mesh therewith and arranged relatively to the gear to beshifted out of mesh with said-gear by the driving action of the gearfasterthan the pinion, a carrier for the pinion havingmeans tending tomove it to carry the pinion into meshjwith the gear, the carrier havinga projectingarm, an operating member having a portion normallyengaged-with the said arm to hold the carrier in its normal position anda recess for receiving said armwhen said member is operated, the recessbeing of a greater width than the-arm, a spring pressed latch normallypartly obstructing said recess, the arm projecting into thepath of saidlatch, a stop movable with the operating member for normally holdingthelatch'from move ment by its spring, the stop being movable out oiengagement with the latch when the latch engages a side-of the face of:said 'arm and the latch being movable under said arm toward the slotwhen the plnionismoved "out of mesh with the gear by the driving action,said step acting to reset thelatch when the operating member returns toits normal position.

6. An engine starter comprising a gearv associated with the engine, astarting gear, a starter pinion meshing with the starting gear andnormally out of mesh wlth the engine gear and movable in a direction atan angle to its axis into and out of mesh with the'engine gear, acarrier for the pinion mounted to rock EibOUttllG ZlXlS'Of the startinggear and having a laterally extendingarm, the ca-rrier having meanstendingto move ritto: carry the pinion into mesh with'the engine gear,and an operatingjmembernormally arranged to borne inalinementwithsaidarm, the pinion vbeing arranged relatively to theengine gear to be moved outrof inesh therewith by the driving action ofthe engine gear.

'7. 'An engine starter comprising a gear associated withthe engine, astarting gear, a starter pinion meshing w th the starting gear andnormally out of mesh with the engine gear and movable 1n-ad1rect1on atan angle toits axis into and-out of mesh with theengine gear, a carrierfor-the pinion mounted.

ranged to partly close the recess to the entrance 'ofsaid arm. and-said'armbeing normally arranged in the 3 path of the latch whereby thel'atchis held from movement during the operation, of the operating member and.is free to move into position toclose the recess when the arm is thrownout of the recess by thedriving action of the driving gear on the pinionand the carrier.

, 8. Anflengine starter comprising a gear associatedwith the engine, astarting gear, a starter pinion meshing with the starting gear andnormally outfof mesh with the engine gear and movable in a directionatan angle to its axis into and'out of mesh with the engine gear, acarrier for the pinion mounted to rock about the axis of the startinggear v and having a laterallyextending arm and tending to, move to carrythe pinion into mesh Withthe engine gear, an operating membernormallyarranged in the path. of said arm and having a recess arrangedto come into alinement with said arm, a spring pressed latch normallyarranged to partly close the recess tothe entrance of said arm and saidarm being normally arranged in the'path of the latch whereby the latchis held from movementd'liring the operating of the operating member andis free to move into position to close the recess when the arm is thrownout of the recess by the driving action of the driving gear on thepinion-and the carrier, the operatingmember and the latch having coactmgmeans whereby the latch is reset during the return movement of, theoperating member. 1 q a v 9. An engine starter comprising a gearassociated with the engine, a starter gear, a pinion; meshing with thestarter gearand normally outset mesh with" the engine gear, a

.theaxis of the starter gear and to beshifted by the planetary action ofthe starter gear on the pinion to carry thepinion into mesh with theengine gear and to be shifted by .the driving action of the engine; gearplanetarily out of mesh with the engine gear,ran

operating member normally holding the car 'rier from movementandshiftable into position to permit planetary movement of the carrierby the starter gear and a latch cooper it in its normal position whenthe pinion has been moved out of mesh with the engine gear, by thedriving actionof the engine. gear, the

ating with the carrier and held out-otoper ative position therebywhentheplnlon is in mesh with the engine. gear and movable intolatchingengagement with the carrier tohold operating member having meanscooperating with the latch to return and hold it 1n lts normal positionwhen the operating memberv returns to its normal position.

10. An engine starter comprising a gear associated with the engine, astarter pinion shiftable into and out of mesh with said gear andnormally out of mesh therewith and arranged relatively with the gear tobe shifted out of mesh therewith by the driving action of the enginegear'faster than the'pinion, a carrier for the pinion movableautomatically to carry the pinion into mesh with the gear, an operatingmember normally coacting' with the'carrier to hold it in its normalposition andprovided with a passage movable into alinement with thecoacting portion of the carrier when said member is shifted and therebypermitting the carrierto move the pinion into mesh with the gear, alatch carried by and movable with the operating member normally held outof latching position by the carrier when the pinion is in mesh with :thegear and means for moving the latch relat vely to the operating memberto coact with p the carrier and hold the carrier in position assumedwhen the pinion has been returned the engine gear and the operatingmember is in its operated position, the operating meniber having meansto reset the latch when said member is moved to its normal position.

v 11. An engine starter comprising a gear associated with the engine,-astarting gear,

havin a laterall extendin arm the carrier having means tending to shiftor carry tne pinion into mesh with the engine gear, an

operating member normally arranged in the path of said arm and havlng arecess arranged to come into alinement with said arm, the.

pinion being arranged relatively to the engine i move lent during ofOnondaga and State-of 29th day of May, 1928.

' the driving action of the engine gear, a spring pressed latch pivotedto the operating'mer'nber and normally arranged to partly'close therecess to the .entrancegof s'aidrarm and said armbeing normallyarranged'in the of the latch'whereby the latch i's'held from theoperating ofthe operating member and is free to move intoposition toclose the recess when the arm isthrown put of the recess by the drivingaction of the driving gear on the pinion and the carrier.

'12. An engine startercomprising a gear associated with the'engine, astarter pinion 'shittable into and out of mesh with said gear andnormally outof mesh" therewith, and arranged relatively to the gear tobeshifted out of mesh therewith by the driving action of" the engine gearfaster than the p nion, a carr181 for the'pinion support means for thecarrier about which the carrier is movable to carry the pinion into meshwith thegear, an

operating member normally coacting with the carrier to hold it in itsnormal position, the operating member being movable in a direction atant-angle to the plane of the shifting movement of the pinion and havingmeans for holding the pinion out of mesh with the gear andmeanst'orreturning the 7' operatingmember to its initial po'sition.

13. An engine starter comprising a gear associated with the engine, astarter pinion V and out of mesh Wltll said gear "tion at an angle tothe plane of the shifting V movement of the pinion and having to itsnormal position by the driving actlon of means for holding the pinionont of mesh withthe gear and having a transverse passage movable intoalinement with the coacting portion of the carrier when the operatingmember is shifted and thereby permitting the carrier to move the pinioninto mesh with the gear and means for returning the operating member toits initial position. f In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed myname, at Syracuse, in the county .HERBERTVJ. Lmerrron.w

New York, this I

